Evolution of U.S. Innovation Policy Gregory Tassey Economic Analysis Office National Institute of Standards and Technology tassey@nist.gov October 2011
The Innovation Policy Challenge Characteristics of U.S. Innovation Policy Largely focused on public missions: defense, energy, health, security Mission-oriented R&D accounts for ~90 percent of federal R&D budget 80 percent of federal R&D budget is defense and health U.S. economic growth philosophy is based on black-box model Government funds science and industry develops the technology (black-boxes) Does not provide decision criteria for different policy instruments (e.g. tax incentives vs. direct funding) Overall, role of technology in economic growth is poorly understood and thus undervalued 2
The Innovation Policy Challenge Characteristics of U.S. Innovation Policy The positive is that innovation policy is finally beginning to evolve into a broader Science, Technology, Innovation, and Diffusion (STID) policy The D in STID includes important mid and late technology life cycle strategies, such as scale-up and market penetration In fact, the U.S. has been underinvesting in R&D and related economic assets for decades This underinvestment is now being manifested in a range of negative economic growth indicators 3
Importance of the Policy Problem Long-Term vs. Short-Term Growth Trends GDP Long-Term Growth (smoothed pattern) Business Cycle (actual growth pattern) Time Source: Gregory Tassey, Beyond the Business Cycle: The Need for a Technology-Based Growth Strategy, forthcoming. 4
Importance of the Policy Problem Rate of Innovation vs. R&D Intensity: Percent of Companies in an Industry Reporting Product and/or Process Innovations, 2003-2007 Index 140 Minimum R&D Intensity 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 0 5 10 15 20 25 R&D Intensity Source: Gregory Tassey, Beyond the Business Cycle: The Need for a Technology-Based Growth Strategy, forthcoming. Index = sum of percent of companies in an industry reporting product innovations and percent reporting process innovations. R&D intensity data from Science and Engineering Indicators 2010, Appendix Table 4-14 (industry and other non-federal funds for R&D); innovation data from Mark Boroush, NSF Releases New Statistics on Business Innovation, NSF InfoBrief, October 2010 5
Importance of the Policy Problem Manufacturing Relationship Between R&D Intensity and Real Output Growth Industry (NAICS Code) R&D Intensive: Average R&D Intensity, 1999-2007 Percent Change in Real Output, 2000-2007 Pharmaceuticals (3254) 10.5 19.1 Semiconductors (3344) 10.1 15.4 Medical Equipment (3391) 7.5 28.4 Computers (3341) 6.1 106.2 Communications Equip (3342) 13.0-42.3 Group Ave: 9.5 Group Ave: 25.4 Non-R&D Intensive: Basic Chemicals (3215) 2.2 25.5 Machinery (333) 3.8 2.4 Electrical Equipment (335) 2.5-13.6 Plastics & Rubber (326) 2.3-4.5 Fabricated Metals (332) 1.4 4.9 Group Ave: 2.5 Group Ave: 2.9 Sources: NSF for R&D intensity and BLS for real output. 6
Underinvestment Aggregate Fixed Private Investment (hardware & software) (growth by decade in 2005 dollars) 180% 167.7% 160% 140% 120% 108.8% 107.8% 100% 80% 84.9% 60% 40% 20% 14.6% 0% 1960-70 1970-80 1980-90 1990-00 2000-10 Source: Gregory Tassey, Beyond the Business Cycle: The Need for a Technology-Based Growth Strategy, forthcoming. Data from Bureau of Economic Analysis, NIPA Table 5.3.5 (includes both equipment and software) and Table 5.3.4 (price indexes for fixed private investment) 7
Underinvestment Amount of R&D U.S. R&D Intensity: Funding as a Share of GDP, 1953-2008 3.5% 3.0% Total R&D/GDP 2.5% 2.0% Federal R&D/GDP 1.5% 1.0% Industry R&D/GDP 0.5% 0.0% 1953 1957 1961 1965 1969 1973 1977 1981 1985 1989 1993 1997 2001 2005 Gregory Tassey, Rationales and Mechanisms for Revitalizing U.S. Manufacturing R&D Strategies, Journal of Technology Transfer 35 (2010): 283-333. Data from the National Science Foundation. 8
Underinvestment Amount of R&D National R&D Intensities, 2008 Gross R&D Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP 6.0 5.0 4.86 4.0 3.75 3.73 3.42 3.37 3.0 3.01 2.77 2.77 2.68 2.68 2.65 2.53 2.33 2.0 2.02 1.84 1.81 1.77 1.54 1.0 0.0 Source: OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2010. 9
Underinvestment Amount of R&D Changes in National R&D Intensity, 1995-2008 180% 170.2% 160% 140% 135.1% 120% 100% 80% 60% 65.0% 61.0% 40% 20% 42.2% 26.2% 20.5% 10.4% 0% China Singapore Finland Taiwan South Korea Japan Germany United States Source: Gregory Tassey, Beyond the Business Cycle: The Need for a Technology-Based Growth Strategy, forthcoming. Data from OECD, Main Science and Technology Indicators, 2010/1. 10
Underinvestment Amount of R&D Percent 100 Shares of Manufacturing Value Added by R&D Intensity 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Australia Canada United Kingdom United States Japan Korea Germany Low R&D (< 1%) Medium-Low R&D (1-3%) Medium-High R&D (3-5%) High R&D (> 5%) Stephen Ezell and Robert Atkinson (2011), International Benchmarking of Countries' Policies and Programs Supporting SME Manufacturers. Washington: DC: Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, September. Data from OECD, Industry and Services STAN Database: Value-added shares relative to manufacturing, http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?r=228903 11
Identifying Underinvestment Technology-Element Growth Model Applied R&D Basic Research Gregory Tassey, The Technology Imperative, 2007; and, The Disaggregated Technology Production Function: A New Model of Corporate and University Research, Research Policy, 2005. 12
Identifying Underinvestment Technology-Element Growth Model Economic Model of a Technology-Based Industry Strategic gplanning Production System Integration Market Development Value Added Entrepreneurial Activity Risk Reduction Proprietary Technologies Generic Technologies Science Base Gregory Tassey, The Technology Imperative, 2007; and, The Disaggregated Technology Production Function: A New Model of Corporate and University Research, Research Policy, 2005. 13
Identifying Underinvestment Technology-Element Growth Model Application of the Technology-Element Model: Biotechnology Science Base Infratechnologies Generic Technologies Product Process Commercial Products genomics immunology microbiology/ virology molecular and cellular biology nanoscience neuroscience pharmacology physiology proteomics bioinformatics bioimaging biomarkers combinatorial chemistry DNA sequencing and profiling electrophoresis fluorescence gene expression analysis magnetic resonance spectrometry mass spectrometry nucleic acid diagnostics protein structure modeling & analysis techniques antiangiogenesis antisense apoptosis bioelectronics biomaterials biosensors functional genomics gene delivery systems gene testing gene therapy gene expression systems monoclonal antibodies pharmacogenomics stem-cell tissue engineering cell encapsulation cell culture microarrays fermentation gene transfer immunoassays implantable delivery systems nucleic acid amplification recombinant DNA/genetic engineering separation technologies transgenic animals coagulation inhibitors DNA probes inflammation inhibitors hormone restorations nanodevices neuroactive steroids neuro-transmitter inhibitors protease inhibitors vaccines Public Technology Goods Mixed Technology Goods Private Technology Goods Gregory Tassey, The Technology Imperative, Edward Elgar, 2007 14
Policy Response Managing the Entire Technology Life Cycle: Science, Technology, Innovation, Diffusion (STID) Policy Roles Joint Industry- Government Planning Strategic Planning Interface Standards (consortia, standards groups) Technology Transfer/Diffusion (MEP) Intellectual Property Rights (DoC) Tax Incentives Incubators (states) Scale-Up Incentives Production Entrepreneurial Activity Proprietary Technologies System Integration Market Targeting Assistance and Procurement Incentives Market Development Risk Reduction Value Added Acceptance Test Standards and National Test Facilities (NIST) National Labs Direct Funding of Firms & Universities (DARPA, ARPA-E, NRI, AMTech) Generic Technologies Science Base National Labs (NIST), Consortia Gregory Tassey, Rationales and Mechanisms for Revitalizing U.S. Manufacturing R&D Strategies, Journal of Technology Transfer 35 (2010): 283-333. 15
Policy Response Emerging Targets of R&D Policy: Amount of R&D Create financial incentives for private companies to increase investments in R&D and increase the R&D intensity of the manufacturing sector Increase Federal investment in research aimed at objectives relevant to privatesector R&D targets in addition to those related to agency missions Composition of R&D Create incentives for private-sector investment in early phases of R&D cycle Create public-private partnerships to meet industry s long-term research needs through support for innovation clusters Fund research aimed at manufacturability to overcome scaling issues and target the other 90% of manufacturing value added (outside of NAICS 3345 and 3364) Eliminate barriers to investment in new and innovative technology-based firms (high technical risk, appropriability, and process-capability barriers) Efficiency of R&D Improve R&D timing and content through road mapping and portfolio management techniques Increase rates of return and shorten the R&D cycle through technology clusters and other forms of collaboration Build in technology transfer through cluster design and IP management 16